Sliding fifth wheel

Claim 1

A device for attachment to a tractor for selectively moving the fifth wheel assembly with respect to the drive wheel of the tractor, said tractor having a frame including a cross member, two side rails, each side rail having a guide member which holds one side of a fifth wheel platform in a manner which allows longitudinal movement of the platform, the guide members also having locking means, said device comprising: a first drive member affixed at one end to said cross member held by the two side rails and at the other end to the fifth wheel platform; a second drive member affixed at one end to a cross member held by the two side rails and at the other end to the fifth wheel platform; means for selectively extending or contracting the first and second drive members, said means for extending or contracting having activating means located in the cab of the tractor rig; and locking means affixed to said fifth wheel platform and to the side rails of the tractor comprising a first row of lock notches affixed to one of the side rails of the tractor frame and a second row of lock notches affixed to the other of the two side rails of the tractor frame and a pair lock lug means affixed to lock bars which lock lug means are moveable between a first position in which each lock lug is held by at least one of the lock notches in each of the rows and a second position where the lock lugs are disengaged from any of the lock notches in both rows; and indicator means located in the cab of the tractor to indicate when said locking means of the fifth wheel assembly are in a locked or unlocked configuration, whereby the operator may unlock the fifth wheel assembly, activate the first and second drive members to cause the drive members to extend or contract and cause the platform to slide with respect to the drive wheel and lock the fifth wheel assembly without leaving the cab of the tractor and without locking the wheels of the trailer.

Claim 2

A device for attachment to a tractor for selectively moving the fifth wheel assembly with respect to the drive wheel of the tractor, said tractor having a frame including a cross member, two side rails, each side rail having a guide member which holds one side of a fifth wheel platform in a manner which allows longitudinal movement of the platform, the guide members also having locking means, said device comprising: a first drive member affixed at one end to said cross member held by the two side rails and at the other end to the fifth wheel platform; a second drive member affixed at one end to a cross member held by the two side rails and at the other end to the fifth wheel platform; means for selectively extending or contracting the first and second drive members, said means for extending or contracting having activating means located in the cab of the tractor rig; and locking means affixed to said fifth wheel platform and to the side rails of the tractor comprising a first row of lock notches affixed to one of the side rails of the tractor frame and a second row of lock notches affixed to the other of the two side rails of the tractor frame and a pair lock lug means affixed to lock bars which lock lug means are moveable between a first position in which each lock lug is held by at least one of the lock notches in each of the rows and a second position where the lock lugs are disengaged from any of the lock notches in both rows; and indicator means located in the cab of the tractor to indicate when said locking means of the fifth wheel assembly are in a locked or unlocked configuration, whereby the operator may unlock the fifth wheel assembly, activate the first and second drive members to cause the drive members to extend or contract and cause the platform to slide with respect to the drive wheel and lock the fifth wheel assembly without leaving the cab of the tractor and without locking the wheels of the trailer.